System and method for fraud prevention in automated electronic payment processing

Abstract

A method and system for combating fraud in electronic payment transactions over the Internet comprises embedding a globally unique identifier number in each customer data page submitted for credit approval on an Internet web site, and undertaking a fraud analysis to prevent the use of multiple copies of the same customer data page, each containing different sets of stolen or made up customer data, in an effort to determine which sets of customer data are associated with valid credit cards.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of combating fraud in electronic payment transactions conducted over the Internet, comprising: 
 (a) presenting a customer data page from a server to a potential buyer of a product or service displayed on the Internet web site of a seller for completion by the buyer with selected information;    (b) generating a globally unique identifier number which is embedded in the customer data page and stored in the memory of the server;    (c) comparing the globally unique identifier number embedded in the customer data page with the globally unique identified number stored in memory in the server upon submission of the customer data page for credit approval; and    (d) executing a fraud analysis in the event the globally unique identifier number embedded in the customer data page submitted for credit approval is determined to have previously matched a globally unique identified number stored in the memory of the server.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  in which step (a) comprises employing a secure, encrypted server to receive a purchase request from the buyer, and generating the customer data page on the server in response to the purchase request.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  in which step (b) comprises generating the globally unique identifier number from data transmitted to the server upon receipt of the purchase request from the buyer.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  in which the data transmitted to the server for generation of the globally unique identifier is selected from the following: 
 (i) the time when the purchase request was made;  
 (ii) the identity of the web browser used by the buyer;  
 (iii) the IP address of the buyer; and  
 (iv) the buyer information entered on the customer data page.  
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  in which step (b) includes embedding the globally unique identifier number in the customer data page so that it is not visible to the buyer.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  in which step (b) includes generating a globally unique identifier number which is unique to each customer data page.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further including the step of determining whether or not a globally unique identifier number is embedded in the customer data page presented for credit approval, and blocking the transaction in the event no globally unique identifier number is present.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  in which step (d) comprises determining whether the customer data page has been used in a successful transaction on the Internet web site of the seller immediately prior to the submission of the same customer data page for credit approval.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  in which the transaction is blocked in the event the same customer data page used in a successful transaction on the Internet web site of the seller is submitted again for credit approval immediately after the successful transaction is completed.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising storing in the memory of the server the customer information entered on each customer data page and the globally unique identifier associated with each of said customer data pages.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  in which step (d) comprises comparing the customer information and the globally unique identifier number associated with a customer data page submitted for credit approval with the customer information and globally unique identifier number contained on a customer data page stored in memory in the server.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  in which the transaction is blocked in the event significant differences are detected in comparing the customer information contained on the customer data page submitted for credit approval and the customer information listed on a customer data page stored in the memory of the server.  
     
     
         13 . A method of combating fraud in electronic payment transactions conducted over the Internet, comprising: 
 (a) presenting a customer data page from a server to a potential buyer of a product or service displayed on the Internet web site of a seller for completion by the buyer with selected information;    (b) employing selected information available at the time the customer data page is completed by the buyer to generate a globally unique identifier number;    (c) embedding the globally unique identifier number in the customer data page;    (d) storing the information contained on the customer data page, and the globally unique identifier number associated with said customer data page, in the memory of the server;    (e) comparing the globally unique identifier number embedded in the customer data page with the globally unique identified number stored in memory in the server upon submission of the customer data page for credit approval; and    (f) executing a fraud analysis in the event the globally unique identifier number embedded in the customer data page submitted for credit approval is determined to have previously matched a globally unique identified number stored in the memory of the server.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  in which step (b) comprises employing at least some of the following information to generate the globally unique identifier number: 
 (i) the time when the purchase request was made;  
 (ii) the identity of the web browser used by the buyer;  
 (iii) the IP address of the buyer; and  
 (iv) the buyer information entered on the customer data page.  
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  in which step (b) includes embedding the globally unique identifier in the customer data page so that it is not visible to the buyer.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13  in which step (b) includes generating a globally unique identifier number which is unique to each customer data page.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13  further including the step of determining whether or not a globally unique identifier number is embedded in the customer data page presented for credit approval, and blocking the transaction in the event no globally unique identifier number is present.